The Upper Saranac Foundation (USF) has been awarded an additional grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program to expand successful efforts to control and prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in 2021. This $14,000 grant will further AIS management of upstream tributaries such as Follensby Clear Pond, preventing the export of AIS downstream toward Upper Saranac Lake (USL), protecting shore owner’s investments from infestation.
Last summer, with funding from an initial Lake Champlain Basin grant, USF began AIS removal in Follensby Clear Pond. This very successful project completed its objective by clearing the targeted 18 acres of AIS, yielding 6,600 pounds of milfoil. Last year’s grant also provided an opportunity to complete an extensive full pond survey. This survey discovered an additional 8.61 acres of Eurasian Watermilfoil beds, outside the 2020 targeted management area, and not identified in a 2017 Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program survey.
The objective of the 2021 project is to restore the entire littoral zone of Follensby Clear Pond by removing milfoil through hand harvesting methods. This project will aid in reducing AIS spread, and enhance USF’s larger watershed protection program that uses a combination of prevention, detection, monitoring, control activities, outreach, and education to inhibit spread.
USF has been successfully managing AIS since 2004. Through the efforts of hand harvesting by divers, the annual poundage removed on USL has been reduced from 18 tons in 2004 to just over 100 pounds in 2020. Further expansion of AIS management within the watershed will assist in decreasing impacts on USL.
This project is consistent with USF goals of providing clear waterways and ensuring the sustainability of our natural public resources for future generations. USF is committed to the long term sustainability of this project and will support ongoing AIS management efforts at this location past the initial harvest period.
Funding for the grant is provided by the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. For more information about USF and AIS control efforts on Follensby Clear Pond please visit our website.
